The JLP and the Pandemic
One of the greatest strengths of the JLP is clarity and consistency in its vision: while our learning topics may have shifted, the underlying mandate and approach have not. The way the Program fulfills its purpose is through thoughtful, personal explorations of important topics for public-service employees. And until 2020, our method of delivery was through in-person workshops.
But when COVID-19 became a heavy reality, face-to-face workshops became an impossibility. The JLP averaged about 600 in-person workshops per year, and suddenly all in-person activities were on hold indefinitely. With so many public-service employees working from home and avoiding all group gatherings, the JLP suspended all workshop activities for the foreseeable future.
However, early May 2020, six weeks after the initial shutdown, a bold proposal was submitted to the Steering Committee. A three-part virtual discussion series hosted remotely to address COVID concerns and the reality of teams whose work and home lives had shifted so unexpectedly. Still jointly facilitated, but relying on technology to bridge the gap and still deliver a quality learning experience.
The JLP redirected all its attentions to developing the first virtual discussion. This involved not only building the workshops themselves, but also the infrastructure to support them: web interfaces, communications products, facilitator training were all pushed forward as quickly as possible while still aiming for a high-quality final product.
On May 13, registration opened for the first in the discussion series, fittingly named Empowering Conversations. The JLP team was thrilled when requests for the new product started to trickle in. That trickle soon turned to a flood.
By the beginning of January 2021, over 500 guided discussions had been held with public-service employees and their managers across Canada. On the strength of the first two guided discussions alone, the JLP met its delivery goals for the fiscal year. All this in a year when the Program’s entire previous approach had to be abandoned.
Over the following years, the virtual discussions have evolved in response to public-service realities. Topics, length and technology have changed, but the place of this new suite of products has proved to be far more lasting than originally thought. Sometimes, a virtual discussion allows freedom or choice or a way to connect in ways that an in-person workshop could not. Even if a team is scattered across Canada, there is still an opportunity to meet for a virtual discussion. And sometimes, a virtual discussion can be just what’s needed.
Despite the return to face-to-face workshops, virtual discussions have found a permanent home within the JLP’s learning suite and accounted for more than 25% of learning events held in fiscal 2025-2026.
The Program will be stepping back to look at its suite of topics, their effectiveness and delivery. This new perspective will allow to carve a better long-term place in the JLP for virtual discussions.
As the JLP continues to evolve and keep its fingers on the pulse of the public service, the virtual discussion series will evolve along with it, offering a solid alternative to in-person workshops that are both highly relevant and accessible to those who can’t be in person, whether by circumstance or geography.